Person:William Swallow (7)

William Swallow was born on 4th July 1808 and baptised later that month at Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, son of Sarah Swallow, formerly Hopkins, and her husband William Swallow, a labourer.

William married at the age of 23, on 31st October 1831, to Elizabeth Catline. They went on to have seven children together at Wheathampstead between 1832 and 1842, although one died young. They moved around within the parish of Wheathampstead, with the children's baptisms variously recording them at Hollybush, Pickford Mills and Gustard Wood. William's father died in 1835.

The 1841 census finds Elizabeth and William living at Gustard Wood with their children and with William's mother. William was working as an agricultural labourer, whilst Elizabeth was a straw plaiter.

Elizabeth died when she was only thirty years old. She was buried at Wheathampstead on 23rd February 1843. William was left with their surviving children to look after, the youngest of whom, Ann, was only a few months old. Baby Ann appears to have been brought up William's sister Sarah and by Elizabeth's brother George.

On 8th November 1845, William married again. His second wife was Susannah Twidell, and she was fourteen years his junior. They do not appear to have had any further children together. William's mother died in 1848.

By 1851, William and Susannah were living at Bread Croft in Harpenden.^[9]

Some time between 1851 and 1861 it would appear that William and Susannah separated. She went to live in the nearby town of Luton with her parents and sister, and on at least one occasion reverted to her maiden name. Meanwhile William returned to Wheathampstead. The 1861 census finds him living at The Ship beer house. By 1871 he was describing himself as a widower, even though Susannah was still alive just a few miles up the road in Luton. In 1871 he was lodging with a family called Swain at Gustard Wood, and in 1881 he was living there with his son Thomas and his family.

William died at the age of 74. He was buried on 8th February 1883 at Wheathampstead.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   Baptisms
   1808
   Swallow - William Son of William & Sarah his wife late Hopkins born July 4 Bapt[ize]d July 31

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 442; Book 8; Folio 30; Page 22, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Gustardwood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   William Swallow, male, 30 [1806-11], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Elizabeth Swallow, female, 30 [1806-11], S[traw] Pl[aiter], born in county
   George Swallow, male, 9 [1831/2], born in county
   Mary Swallow, female, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   Thomas Swallow, male, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Susan Swallow, female, 7 months [1840], born in county
   ~ [second household in same house]
   Sarah Swallow, female, 70 [1766-71], widow, born in county
   Eliza Swallow, female, 8 [1832/3], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1713; Folio 98; Page 7, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Bread Croft, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   William Swallow, head, married, male, 40 [1810/11], Ag[ricultural] Lab[oure]r, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Susan Swallow, wife, married, female, 30 [1820/1], Straw Plaiter, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary Swallow, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1832/3], Straw Plaiter, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 827; Folio 8; Page 9, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Village, Ship Beer House, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   James Ossenham, head, married, male, 72 [1788/9], Bricklayer & retailer of beer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Rebecca Ossenham, wife, married, female, 72 [1788/9], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   William Ossenham, son, widower, male, 45 [1815/16], Bricklayer, b. wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Frederic John Ossenham, grandson, male, 11 [1849/50], Scholar, b. Kings Langley, Hertfordshire
   Sophia Franklin, servant, female, 16 [1844/5], General Serv[ant], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   John Edmonds, lodger, unmarried, male, 56 [1804/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   George Woodward, lodger, widower, male, 72 [1788/9], Works on the Highways, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   William Swallow, lodger, married, male, 49 [1811/12], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   William Browndale, lodger, unmarried, male, 55 [1805/6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Sandridge, Hertfordshire
   William Twidale, lodger, unmarried, male, 36 [1824/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Robert Blow, lodger, unmarried, male, 16 [1844/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1376; Folio 25; Page 11, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   William Swain, head, married, male, 31 [1839/40], Farm Laborer, b. Kimpton, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Swain, wife, married, female, 28 [1842/3], Sewer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth Carter, daughter, female, 7 [1863/4], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Walter Swain, son, male, 5 [1865/6], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   John Swain, son, male, 2 [1868/9], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   William Swallow, lodger, widower, male, 60 [1810/11], Farm Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire

6. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1429; Folio 5; Page 4, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Swallow, head, married, male, 40 [1840/1], Labourer, b. Gustard Wood
   Louise Swallow, wife, married, female, 37 [1843/4], Plaiter, b. Gustard Wood
   William Swallow, son, male, 15 [1865/6], Labourer, b. Gustard Wood
   George Swallow, son, male, 13 [1867/8], Labourer, b. Gustard Wood
   Henry Swallow, son, male, 10 [1870/1], Scholar, b. Gustard Wood
   Mary Ann Swallow, daughter, female, 7 [1883/4], Scholar, b. Gustard Wood
   Alice Swallow, daughter, female, 5 [1885/6], Scholar, b. Gustard Wood
   Anne Sarah Swallow, daughter, female, 3 [1887/8], b. Gustard Wood
   Lucy Swallow, daughter, female, 9mo [1880], b. Gustard Wood
   William Swallow, father, widower, male, 75 [1805/6], b. Gustard Wood

7.   Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. William SWALLOW, March Quarter 1883, St Albans Registration District, Volume 3a, page 289, aged 80 [1802/3]

8. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Wheathampstead in the County of Hartford [sic] in the Year 1883
   No. 492
   Name: William Swallow
   Abode: Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead
   When buried: February 8
   Age: 76 [1806/7]
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: A.F. Curtis, Curate

9. ↑ Confusingly there were two William Swallows of very similar age living in the area, both of whom married women called Elizabeth. To compound the confusion, both Williams were living at Bread Croft in Harpenden in the 1851 census. However, the William the subject of this page was born in Wheathampstead, whereas the other was born in Harpenden.